Flowering phenology in
Philodendron malesevichiae in Panama is uncertain. All flowering collections
are from South America. Flowering collections have been made in February and
March and post-anthesis collections in March, July, and December. Cultivated
collections from Panama grown at the Missouri Botanical Garden flowered in May,
June, July, November, and December.

Philodendron malesevichiae
ranges from Panama to Colombia. In Panama it is only known from the type locality
in Tropical wet forest at 830 to 860 m in Coclé Province. In Colombia
it has been collected only along the Pacific Coast in Chocó and Valle
at 50 to 150 m elevation.

Philodendron malesevichiae
is a member of P. sect. Philodendron subsect. Achyropodium.
This species is characterized by its terrestrial, creeping habit, short internodes,
weakly 1--2-ribbed cataphylls, drying reddish brown and persisting semi-intact,
subterete, narrowly sulcate petioles which are conspicuously scaly in the upper
one-third, and ovate-cordate brown-drying blades with up to eight basal veins,
largely coalesced and naked along the hippocrepiform sinus.

This species is most
easily confused with P. glanduliferum.
The latter species differs in having fewer primary lateral veins (2--4 versus
6--10 for P. malesevichiae), posterior ribs which are not at all naked,
and a narrow closed or spathulate sinus (versus hippocrepiform in P. malesevichiae).

In Panama there are
three other species which have petiolar glands of some form and thus might be
confused with P. malesevichiae. These are: P.
hammelii, P. verrucosum, and P.
squamipetiolatum. Philodendron hammelii differs in its smaller,
green-drying blades and petiolar scales mostly less than three times longer
than broad. Philodendron verrucosum differs in its mostly appressed-climbing
habit, scaly cataphylls, inflorescences and even parts of the lower blade surface,
and velvety and matte (rather than semiglossy) upper blade surface. Philodendron
squamipetiolatum differs in its appressed-climbing habit, long internodes,
deciduous cataphylls, green-drying blades and scaly inforescences.

Zarucchi & Escheverry
4776, from 2000 m elevation in Antioquia Department, Colombia, may also
belong to this species. It is described as having a deep wine-red (rather than
green) spathe.

This species is named
in honor of Petra S. Malesevich, who has loyally worked with me on all aspects
of the Philodendron revision. This species is in cultivation at the Missouri
Botanical Garden and it is deemed a beautiful addition to horticulture.